Aaron Brooks of the Houston Rockets is the winner of the 2009-10 NBA Most Improved Player Award, the NBA announced today. The annual award is presented to a player who has made a significant improvement from the previous season.

Brooks received 403 of a possible 615 points, including 62 first-place votes, from a panel of 123 sportswriters and broadcasters throughout the United States and Canada. Kevin Durant of the Oklahoma City Thunder (17 first-place votes), Marc Gasol of Memphis Grizzlies (nine-first place votes) and George Hill of the San Antonio Spurs (seven first-place votes) tied for second with 101 points. Players were awarded five points for each first-place vote, three points for each second-place vote and one point for each third place vote received.

This season Brooks set career highs in points (19.6 ppg), assists (5.3 apg) and rebounds (2.6 rpg). His 8.4 ppg scoring increase from last season (11.2 ppg) was the highest in the league among minimum qualifiers. Brooks became only the sixth player in NBA history to make at least 200 three-pointers and dish out at least 400 assists in the same season. He set the Rockets’ single-season record for three-pointers made with 209. The 6-foot guard scored 20 or more points 39 times and at least 30 points on 10 occasions. This marks the second time that a former NBA Development League player (Bobby Simmons, 2005) has been a recipient of an NBA Annual Award. Brooks played for Rio Grande Valley Vipers during his rookie season.